The present invention relates to a pedal device for musical instrument to be used with a bass drum or a high hat stand.
Japanese Published Unexamined Utility Model Application No. H6-73794 and Japanese Registered Utility Model No. 2572422 each discloses a pedal device for drum, arranged such that an inclination angle of a pedal and an initial angle of a beater are separately adjustable. With each of the pedal devices disclosed in the two documents, a free end of the pedal is coupled to a sprocket wheel via a chain and the chain is fixed in a state of being wound around an outer circumferential portion of the sprocket wheel. The sprocket wheel is fixed to a rotating shaft together with a rocker cam, coupled to a tension coil spring, a circular columnar body, to which a beater fixing member is fixed, etc. Also, the beater is pivotably mounted to an outer circumferential surface of the circular columnar body by a fastening bolt provided on the beater fixing member.
To adjust the inclination angle of the pedal, first, a bolt provided on the rocker cam is loosened. Next, the chain is drawn out from the sprocket wheel or the chain is wound up while pivoting the rotating shaft with respect to the rocker cam until the free end of the pedal is set at a desired height. The bolt is then fastened to fix the rotating shaft to the rocker cam and fix the inclination angle of the pedal. On the other hand, to adjust the initial angle of the beater, first, the fastening bolt of the beater fixing member is loosened. Next, while maintaining the free end of the pedal at the adjusted height, the beater fixing member is slid in a circumferential direction along the outer circumferential surface of the circular columnar body until the beater is set at a desired angle. The fastening bolt is then fastened to fix the beater fixing member to the circular columnar body and fix the initial angle of the beater. However, with the pedal device for drum disclosed in both documents, it is not possible to adjust just the inclination angle of the pedal.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2003-150151 discloses a high hat stand arranged such that an inclination angle of a pedal is adjustable. With the high hat stand disclosed in this document, a free end of a pedal is coupled via a chain to a rod that actuates a cymbal. The rod is inserted through an inner side of a spring that is vertically disposed at an inner side of a lower pipe. Also, a protrusion, projecting radially outward, is provided at an intermediate portion of the rod. By being compressed from above by the protrusion of the rod, the spring imparts a repulsive force that is generated when the pedal is stepped on. Also, the rod is inserted through a cylindrical female thread body fixed to a gate frame and a cylindrical male thread body thread-engaged with the female thread body from below. A head portion of the male thread body is contacted from below with a shock absorber, provided at an upper end of the chain. Thereby, an upper limit position of the shock absorber can be restricted by the male thread body and the inclination angle of the pedal can be adjusted in accordance with a thread engagement amount of the male thread body with respect to the female thread body. However, when the upper limit position of the shock absorber is changed, a height of the rod is also changed and an amount of compression of the spring by the rod thus also changes. The repulsive force of the pedal thus also changes and an operation feel when the pedal is stepped on also changes. It is therefore not possible to adjust just the inclination angle of the pedal with the high hat stand disclosed in this document as well.
For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 9,928,815, 9,640,154, and 5,883,321 each discloses a pedal device, with which just an inclination angle of a pedal is adjustable. With each of the pedal devices disclosed in these documents, when the inclination angle of the pedal is to be adjusted, first, a free end of the pedal is slid vertically with respect to a link member or a chain to change a height of the free end of the pedal. Next, while maintaining the free end of the pedal at the adjusted height, the free end of the pedal is fixed to the link member or the chain by a bolt. At this point, a user slides the free end of the pedal with one hand to adjust the inclination angle of the pedal and thereafter fastens the bolt with the other hand while still holding the pedal with the one hand. Thus, conventionally, the above work is performed using both hands and therefore the adjustment of the inclination angle of the pedal is troublesome.
Especially in the case of each of U.S. Pat. Nos. 9,928,815 and 9,640,154, the bolt is inserted from a lateral direction with respect to the free end of the pedal and the link member in a state where the pedal device is mounted to a bass drum or a high hat stand. The user must thus adjust the inclination angle of the pedal while operating the bolt, which is at a position that is not easily visible. In the case of U.S. Pat. No. 5,883,321, a pedal angle adjusting mechanism is arranged from a pair of mutually engaging block bodies. A fixing force of fixing the free end of the pedal to the chain is thus higher than in the cases of U.S. Pat. Nos. 9,928,815 and 9,640,154. However, a fixing position of the pedal with respect to the chain, that is, a height position of the free end of the pedal can only be adjusted in stages. Fine adjustment of the inclination angle of the pedal thus cannot be performed.
Also, each of the pedal devices disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 9,928,815, 9,640,154, and 5,883,321 has a protruding portion, extending perpendicularly from the free end of the pedal, because the pedal is slid vertically with respect to the link member or the chain. There are thus times where, in the middle of performing by operating the pedal, the protruding portion of the pedal contacts a toe of the performer or a part of the pedal device. There are also times where a stepping operation of the pedal is thereby obstructed.